A sentence fragment is only part of a sentence that is set off
as if it were a complete sentence by an initial capital letter and
a final period or other end punctuation. However, unlike a
complete sentence, a sentence fragment lacks a subject, verb,
and/or complete verb, or it is a dependent clause not attached to
an independent clause.

I. Missing Subject Fragment

A sentence without a subject--
Example: Closed the door.
What to do: Add a subject
Correction: The girl closed the door.
*Note: If you are expressing a command, you do not need a subject. This is called
an imperative sentence.
Example: Don't leave the room!
(You is the silent subject.)

II. Missing Verb or Incomplete Verb Fragment

Missing Verb: A sentence without a finite verb--
Example: The assembly person in our district.
What to do: Find a finite verb
Correction: The assembly person in our district
works diligently.
Note: A finite verb is capable of making an assertion without the aid of a
helping verb; in addition, it changes form to show the difference in present,
past, and future time. Verbals such as working and to work do not change and are
not finite verbs.
Incomplete Verb: An -ing verb (present participle) in the
place of a finite verb without a helping
verbHelping Verbs: To be: am, is, are, were, was
Example: The statue standing by the doorway.
What to do: Add a helping verb
Correction: The statue is standing by the doorway.
orIncomplete Verb: A past participle (-d/-ed/-t/n) used in a
passive verb form without a helping verb.
Example: The statue located by the door.
What to do: Add a helping verb
Correction: The statue is located by the door.
Note: Since the statue cannot locate itself, the verb form must be passive,
indicating someone other than the subject of the sentence (the statue) placed it
by the door. Passive voice is formed by using the helping verb--to be--plus the
participle. Some verbs are irregular and take the-t-or-n-form.
Example: She caught by the authorities.
What to do: Add a helping verb
Correction: She was caught by the authorities.
*For more information on passive verb form see Active and Passive
Verb form handout.

III. Dependent Clause Fragment

A main or independent clause can stand alone as a sentence:
She believed that she would pass the test. A dependent or
subordinate clause is like a main clause in that it must have a
subject and a verb, but it cannot stand alone as a sentence because
it begins with a subordinating word such as if, when, because,
since, who, that, after, or before. Subordinating words express
particular relationships between the clauses they introduce and the
main clauses to which they are attached.
Example: After Maria bought the biology book.
What to do: Add an independent clause that finishes
the thought
Correction: After Maria bought the biology book, she
began studying for her exam.
*In this example, the subordinating conjunction, after, indicates a time
relationship between the two clauses.
There are two types of subordinating words: subordinating
conjunctions and relative pronouns.
Subordinating conjunctions always come at the
beginning of subordinate clauses.
Common Subordinating Conjunctions:
after, although, as, as if, as long as, as though, because,
before, even if, even though, if, if only, in order that, now
that, once, rather than, since, so that, than, that, though,
till, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever,
while
Example: If it doesn't rain tonight, we will go to
the park.
Relative pronouns link one clause with another;
however, they usually act as subjects or objects in their own
clauses and are not necessarily positioned at the beginning of
clauses.
Relative pronouns:
which, that, what, whatever, who (whose, whom), whoever
(whomever)
Example: My uncle who lives in my house is
getting married and moving out.

Adjective, Adverb, and Noun Clauses

All subordinate clauses function as adjectives, adverbs, and
nouns and are described as adjective, adverb, or noun clauses
according to their use in a particular sentence.
Adjective clauses modify nouns and pronouns, providing necessary or
helpful information about them. These clauses usually begin with
relative pronouns, but a few begin with when or where (standing for
in which, on which, or at which).
Example: Diana is the girl who always get to class
early. (modifies girl)
Example: There comes a time when each of us must
work. (modifies time)
Adverb clauses modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and whole
groups of words. They usually tell how, why, when, where, under
what conditions, or with what result. They always begin with
subordinating conjunctions.
Example: Elaine is nicer when she is talking on the
phone. (modifies nicer)Example: She responded as quickly as she could.
(modifies quickly)Noun clauses function as subjects, objects, and complements in
sentences. They begin either with relative pronouns or with the
words when, where, whether, why, and how. Unlike adjective and
adverb clauses, noun clauses replace a word (a noun) within a main
clause; therefore, they can be difficult to identify.
Subject) Example: The lecture pleased the audience.
Example: What the lecturer said pleased the
audience. (The noun clause replaces
`The lecture' as the sentence subject.
Object) Example: Everyone knows what a panther is.
(object of knows)

Questions

If the word group begins with how, who, whom, whose, which,
where, when, what, or why introducing a question, it can stand
alone as a complete sentence.